ACHE announces four new academic programs
by February 5, 2026 11:56 am 946 views
The Fort Smith-based Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) is again expanding academic offerings with three new doctorate programs to begin this summer and a master’s degree set to start in the fall of 2028.
According to ACHE, the four new programs will have a combined 148 student slots per term.
The doctor of executive leadership (DEL) is for health care providers and officers in executive or senior leadership roles, including clinicians, administrators, and organizational leaders responsible for managing teams, systems, and strategic initiatives. Program goals are to help with executive decision-making and organizational leadership while working full time, according to ACHE. The program will have around 25 students per term, with each term being eight weeks. The program, set to begin in the summer of 2026, will be led by Travis Kaufman, program director of the ACHE Doctor of Executive Leadership.
The doctor of medical science (DMSc) course is for practicing physician associates “seeking to advance their careers into leadership, administration, education, and specialized roles,” ACHE noted. The program also is for physician associates who are business owners, executive-level leaders, lobbyists and policymakers.
The program will have about 25 students per term, with each term being eight weeks. The program, set to begin in the summer of 2026, with the program led by Jeremy Welsh, vice president and chief innovation officer, associate provost of Medicine and Health Science, and program director of the Doctor of Medical Science.
The doctor of public health (DrPH) targets “mid-career professionals” in public health, health care, government, nonprofit and community organizations, “particularly those focused on rural health and population health initiatives,” ACHE noted. Course enrollment is estimated to be about 50 students and will be led by Don Simpson, ACHE public health program director and associate professor of public health.
The planned physician associate (PA) master’s degree program is for those wanting to become a PA. The ACHE goal with the program is to help “meet workforce needs and expand access to health care across the state.” The class will have an enrollment cap of 48 and will be led by Jenna Rolfs, dean of the ACHE School of Physician Associate Practice.
“ACHE’s new programs are designed to serve working professionals and future health care leaders, with a focus on advancing leadership capacity and addressing workforce needs across Arkansas and the surrounding region,” noted the ACHE news release.
ACHE was formed when Fort Smith-based Degen Foundation used part of $70 million from the sale of Sparks Health System in November 2009 to what was then Naples, Fla.-based Health Management Associates to build the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM) at Chaffee Crossing. The $32.4 million college and its 103,000 square feet is home to 600 medical students.
ACHE includes five programs: the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM), School of Physical Therapy (ACHE PT), School of Occupational Therapy (ACHE OT), Master of Science in Biomedicine (MSB), and Master of Public Health (MPH). Also part of ACHE is the Research Institute Health & Wellness Center (RIHWC), a 317,000-square-foot facility that includes a biomedical research lab.